The sit-in, staged by the Bannu Peace Jirga better known as “Bannu Aman Passon”, entered its second consecutive day, but citizens faced problems as the internet and mobile services remained limited in the area.
Local reporters say that while the city itself is calm, access to information remains extremely problematic. From the administration’s standpoint, at least for now, there is no update about any further progress in the negotiations.
The PTI leadership has visited Bannu and met with the participants of the sit-in. Addressing a news conference last night, PTI leader Shehryar Afridi said, “Seven MNAs and provincial assembly members from PTI are present here. We fully support the Bannu Peace Jirga.”
PTI’s Shandana Gulzar commented, “The people had the right to protest. It was your task to forgive them, not to raise guns against them. Both the security forces and the public are the state. The state cannot raise its hand against itself. If the state raises its hand against the public, we will stand with the public because they are allowed to make mistakes.”
Firing, chaos kills one, wounds many in Bannu ‘Peace March’ on Friday.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesperson Barrister Saif announced that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has ordered the constitution of a commission to hold a transparent inquiry into the incident of firing.
Provincial Minister Pakhtoon Yar Khan said, “I have asked the Chief Minister to order an inquiry into the incident. I will also be a witness. Firing did take place on the stage where I was sitting. Any person who is at fault, even from among the public, should be punished.”
“Whoever is involved should be punished, whether they are from an institution, non-state actors, or from the public,” he added.
A delegation of Awami National Party led by Mian Iftikhar Hussain also reached here in Bannu and visited the injured persons yesterday.
